Yesterday:

I replaced the cap and rotor a couple of weeks ago and everything was running fine. I just pulled into a buddy's place tonight and the car died on me. Tried cranking and it turns over fine. Thought it might be the fuel, so I checked the lines. Good fuel flow. I checked the rotor and cap: no noticeable burns or looseness. Pulled a plug and looked for fire: NOTHING! The plugs were fouled with fuel as well and black. So I know it wasn't the plugs. Also, I bought new plugs and put one in. Didn't fire, either. I'll replace the cap and rotor again tomorrow, but just incase, what could the problem be if not the cap and rotor? I know there's not a coil unless it's built into the distributor. I hope that's not it.....

Today:

I tried replacing the coil with a unit from AutoZone. Still didn't have any spark. I figured that my ignition control unit must have gone bad, so I purchased the MSD 6AL ignition module to circumvent the stocker. Now I get fire from the plugs, but it's still not running. It'll turn over and almost start, but then die out again. I'm sure that fuel is good because the amount that's on the plugs and I can smell it each time I try and turn it over. Maybe my coil is still bad, but I returned the other one to AutoZone already. May have to buy another.

 

ur getting juice from ur battery, did u check out ur alternator?

 

I am having basically the same EXACT problem with my '00 Si. It started when I went to pull away at a green light and the car died on me in the middle of the intersection and wouldn't start.

We tested all the pickups in the distributor, and everything seems to be running correctly except the ignitor (takes the weak signal from the computer and amps it up to 12V for the coil). So we wired the computer-out signal that normally goes to the ignitor to the mag pickup on the 6AL, as so to go around the ignitor all together. I've got the 6AL and a blaster SS coil, with the MSD cap and wires. Now it sparks, but for some reason, the timing is REALLY retarded. We just changed the timing belt and checked everything on that side, and it's all set. Hopefully I'll have a full, completely stock OBD2 DOHC VTEC distributor Tuesday and try to see if that helps at all.

Right now, it turns on when it's bone-cold, idles for about 45 seconds, then when the idle comes down, it goes to about 200rpm, barely idles, then dies after about 20 seconds. No throttle response whatsoever.

Hopefully, after dropping ~$200 on a distributor it'll run again. I've never tried connecting the Mag-Pickup of an MSD directly to the computer signal wire before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. I'll let you know what I find when we try the new distributor.

 

Well, I don't know if I can wait for a new distributor. I'm taking it (towing it) to a shop tomorrow that pretty much knows imports, mostly Honda. This is killing me as it's my only car right now. The wife is out of town with the other one. Lord help me......

 

Its the ignitor in the distributor. I have had it go out on me. It gives no warning when its about to fail. It just fails. Its happened to three of my friends as well. It seems to be the weak link in the Honda distributor.

 

Dammit, I figured as much, but it's too late now! Oh well, I guess I'll know next time around if it happens again. I wish you would have read this post 2 days ago! Thanks for the info, though. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow. That's when I find out what the shop says.

 

there is a recall out on civics right now.....go see if it is for your year civic


the recall is about cars stalling with out warning

 

Hey man, thanks a lot! If that's true, I'll be posting that on an ***-load of forums.

 

Do you have a link for that recall? I did some searching and was unable to find it.